Friday 27 January 2017

Bloody liberals, coming over here, considering everyone's issues, finding compromise...

Why is the word "liberal" being used as an insult, a derogatory term, a subject of ridicule and hate, especially with regard to Brexit and Trump?

If we were ever confused about the disconnected society that has developed since the last world war, Brexit and Trump, Syria and Somalia, Indonesia and China will, if nothing else, have served to pinpoint just how differently we think and act. If these extremes are genuinely representative of national and international ideologies, rather than individual opinion expressed vehemently but by comparatively few people, and fewer and fewer people are prepared to listen to each other with a view to finding negotiated compromise over issues that affect every single one of us, I would simply ask this:

Why are we so prepared to hate? Have we been conditioned to do so, or are we naturally predisposed to it? (probably deserves consideration on its own merit, that.)

I believe we are better than this, that we are capable of so much more, beyond the anger and bile, the vitriol and intolerance, the shaming and blaming, the alternate facts and post truths, the fear mongering and hate rhetoric.

All it really takes is a moment to stop and listen to views that are not our own. To consider why someone else might think differently; what their experiences may be. The more of us who are patient and capable of doing this, the better prepared we can be to develop a future where different views lead to debate rather than conflict, benefit rather than rage. That makes me a liberal.

Liberal - defined as:
  • favourable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.
  • noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform.
  • of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism, especially the freedom of the individual and governmental guarantees of individual rights and liberties.
  • favourable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, especially as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.
  • favouring or permitting freedom of action, especially with respect to matters of personal belief or expression.
  • of or relating to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies.
  • free from prejudice or bigotry.

I'm struggling to see why the word "liberal" is becoming such a bad thing, an insult, a curse. Being "liberal" is a good thing, surely; open to question, considerate of others but not weak or downtrodden, apathetic or permissive for the sake of it.

But that's how I'm wired, or conditioned, or otherwise created.

And I'm proud of it.

MY - Jan 2017

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